Late Penalty

Late submission of an assignment will attract a penalty of 5% of the maximum mark for every day that the assignment is late (including weekend days). For example, if the assignment is worth 40 marks and your assignment is submitted 2 days late, a penalty of 2x5%x40 = 4 marks will be applied and subtracted from the awarded mark for the assignment. Work submitted more than 14 days after the submission deadline will not be marked and will receive a mark of 0. Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to notify the University of a disruption to their studies and that requests for extensions for assignments must be made via the University’s Ask MQ System (as outlined in the Disruption to Studies Policy). 

Technology Used and Required

For this unit you will need to have access to a computer that can reliably connect to the Internet. This will be essential for completing online quizzes (see section on "Assessment Tasks"), and in accessing the unit's web-page, which can be found at:  https://ilearn.mq.edu.au

Required Readings

The course readings will be available through the Library (see the unit's iLearn page for specific details).

Recommended Text

While this course does not have a textbook, students will find it helpful to read the chapter(s) in "A student's handbook" that are relevant for that week's lecture.  The textbook can be accessed in the Library (BF311 .E94 2015) or online through the Library's website.  The full title of the book is here:

Eysenck, M. W., & Keane, M. T. (2015). Cognitive psychology: A student's handbook. Psychology press.

Delivery

The timetable for lectures & tutorials can be found on the University web site at: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/

Lectures are held weekly (2 hours), starting in Week 1.  Lectures run from 9-11:00am Fridays in 25a Wallys Walk - 209 Tutorial Room.   Lecture slides will be uploaded before lecture time to the course's iLearn site.  Lecture recordings are available via Echo360 in iLearn. 

Tutorials are held weekly (1 hour), starting in Week 1. Please check eStudent for the time and location of your tutorial.

Due to restrictions on the availability of resources and to health and safety regulations you should attend the tutorial to which you have been assigned. Although students might be able to occasionally attend a different tutorial, most classes are likely to be full, in which case those not attending their assigned tutorial will be asked to leave. Under these circumstances, no special provisions will be made for attendance at an alternative tutorial class.

Requests for tutorial changes: Changes to tutorials need to be done online via eStudent only. After week 2, no further changes will be made unless supporting documentation about the reason for changing is provided and there is space in the tutorial you wish to enrol in. Please note that changes to tutorials cannot be made by the unit convenor or tutor.

What does it take to do well in COGS301?

This unit is taught through lectures and tutorials with support from web-based resources such as iLearn. While lectures are useful principally for introducing new concepts and knowledge, the tutorials allow for more direct interactions between instructor and students. They are your opportunity to enhance your understanding further by participating in activities and asking questions. The iLearn discussion board also allows students to discuss topics in greater depth, and may also feature contributions by staff members when there appears to be confusion among the student body. The lecture schedule is a guide only, and is intended to be flexible. On occasion, more time will be spent on certain topics if additional explanation is required. As such, material from one lecture may overlap into the next, where necessary.

Students are expected to pay close attention to all lectures and to take notes to aid their retention of the material covered. Although echo360 will be invaluable when attendance is physically impossible, it is recommended that students attend lectures, as there are some aspects of the course that cannot be replicated through such media. Reading assigned during each lecture should be completed before and after the date of the relevant lecture. Reading before lecture and then re-reading shortly after lecture is the best way to consolidate knowledge and enhance understanding. Attendance of, and active participation in tutorials is also mandatory. Online quizzes offer the chance to answer questions while using resources such as textbooks and lecture notes. This open book format is unlike formal examinations, and offers an opportunity for grade enhancement that should not be missed. In addition, other learning resources will be made available, such as lists of key terminology. It should be noted that according to Senate guidelines, workloads should involve 3 hours per credit point per week. This results in 9 hours per week (including lectures and practicals) for a 3 credit point unit such as COGS301.

What material is examinable?

Both quiz and exam questions will come from topics covered during lectures and tutorials. Where additional information on these topics is supplied in the assigned reading, this should also be considered examinable. The examinations will not feature questions on topics not covered during lectures even if they are included in the assigned reading.

Note: Assessment will be based on the successful understanding of material from lectures, tutorials and from the assigned reading. Please note that rote learning alone will not be a successful strategy, as the assessments will test for deeper appreciation of the course material in a variety of formats. Simply remembering the “facts” will not suffice. Students need to demonstrate their understanding of the principles, and demonstrate the ability to apply such understanding in new contexts.

iLearn

Students should check the iLearn web site at regular intervals for announcements, online quizzes, lecture notes, terminology lists, and other supplementary learning materials. It will also feature a discussion board on which students may converse about course material, or any other legitimate business related to COGS301. Links to echo360, which will be available in audio and video format, will be included. It is recommended that students visit this site regularly and make full use of the facilities.

Feedback

In this course you will have several opportunities to get feedback, and to assess your progress through formative assessment activities. One of these will be through online quizzes offered on the course’s iLearn webpage. These are part of the assessments for this course, and while they are in progress feedback will not be available. However, when each quiz closes, extensive details of why each given answer was correct or incorrect are given, and the student is directed towards the appropriate textbook pages to cement his/her understanding.

Academic Courtesy

It is the right of each student to learn in an environment that is free of disruption and distraction. Please make an effort to arrive to class on time, and if you are unavoidably detained, please enter the lecture theatre as quietly as possible to minimise disruption, using the back entrance if possible. Although some lecturers may allow questions during lectures, talking between students is often disruptive and is strongly discouraged. Phones, pagers, and other electronic devices that produce noise and other distractions must be turned off prior to entering class, and remain off for the duration of lectures and tutorials.

Social Inclusion and Diversity

Social inclusion at Macquarie University is about giving everyone who has the potential to benefit from higher education the opportunity to study at university, participate in campus life and flourish in their chosen field. The University has made significant moves to promote an equitable, diverse and exciting campus community for the benefit of staff and students. It is your responsibility to contribute towards the development of an inclusive culture and practice in the areas of learning and teaching, research, and service orientation and delivery. As a member of the Macquarie University community, you must not discriminate against or harass others on the basis of their sex, gender, race, marital status, carers' responsibilities, disability, sexual preference, age, political conviction or religious belief. All lecturers, tutors and students are expected to display appropriate behaviour that is conducive to a healthy learning environment for everyone. The Unit Convenor is a member of the Ally Network and is happy to provide support to members of the LGBTIQ community.